Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site proper.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!harpo!seismo!hao!hplabs!intelca!proper!gam
From: gam@proper.UUCP (Gordon Moffett)
Newsgroups: net.suicide
Subject: Re: Male suicide
Message-ID: <974@proper.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 12-Feb-84 00:08:32 EST
Article-I.D.: proper.974
Posted: Sun Feb 12 00:08:32 1984
Date-Received: Thu, 9-Feb-84 23:28:05 EST
References: <4599@rochester.UUCP>, <3669@gatech.UUCP>
Organization: Proper UNIX, San Leandro, CA
Lines: 20

> From: spaf@gatech.UUCP (Gene Spafford)
> Organization: Georgia Tech School of ICS, Atlanta

> Botched suicides are cries for help.  They signal that the person
> involved feels they have lost control and they need someone outside to
> help set their lives aright.  That is one reason why (in our society)
> men have a much higher successful suicide rate than women -- it is
> ingrained in the modern American male not to need help with his life
> and so he doesn't cry out for help.  Besides, a male ego suffering from
> feelings of inadequacy certainly does not want to fail in this last,
> final act.

Interestingly, while males attempt suicide less often than females,
they are more successful at it.  One reason maybe that as they are
success-driven then failure to succede at suicide (that is, surviving
the attempt) would be intolerably humiliating.
-- 
Gordon A. Moffett
	{ allegra, decvax!decwrl } !amd70!proper
	hplabs!intelca!proper!gam